Vehicular vision system with windshield mounted camera

ABSTRACT

A vehicular vision system includes a camera module configured for mounting at an in-cabin portion of a windshield of a vehicle and including a circuit board and a camera that views forward of the vehicle and through the windshield. The camera includes an imaging sensor array. A data processor is operable to process image data captured by the imaging sensor array for at least one system of the vehicle. The imaging sensor array is electrically connected to circuitry of the circuit board via a flexible electrical connection. The imaging sensor array may be controlled via the flexible electrical connection. Image data captured by the imaging sensor array is carried via the flexible electrical connection. With the camera module mounted at the in-cabin portion of the windshield, the circuit board is tilted at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of a lens barrel of the camera.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 17/305,254, filed Jul. 2, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,427,136,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/247,269,filed Dec. 7, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,052,834, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/948,878, filed Oct.5, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,857,953, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/806,095, filed Mar. 2, 2020, now U.S.Pat. No. 10,793,086, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/449,546, filed Jun. 24, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,576,909,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/117,105,filed Aug. 30, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,328,868, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/878,579, filed Jan.24, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,065,575, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/494,646, filed Apr. 24, 2017, now U.S.Pat. No. 9,878,679, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/180,643, filed Jun. 13, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,630,570,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/112,343,filed Oct. 17, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,380,219, which is a 371national phase filing of PCT/US12/34236, filed Apr. 19, 2012, whichclaims the filing benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No.61/477,315, filed Apr. 20, 2011, which is hereby incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to imaging systems or vision systems forvehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known.Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a vision system or imaging system for avehicle that utilizes one or more cameras to capture images exterior ofthe vehicle, and provides the communication/data signals, includingcamera data or image data, that may be processed by an image processor,such as for a headlamp control or other machine vision system, or thatmay be displayed at a display screen that is viewable by the driver ofthe vehicle.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vision system for avehicle includes a camera or image sensor disposed at a windshield of avehicle and having a field of view forward of the vehicle and throughthe windshield of the vehicle, and a processor operable to process datatransmitted by the camera. The vision system or camera assembly orsystem includes an angular filter disposed at or near the windshieldforward of the camera. The angular filter comprises a substantiallytransparent film that limits reflection of light through an angularrange that generally corresponds to the stray light that reflects off ofthe vehicle (such as off of the vehicle dashboard) and would otherwiseimpinge the camera lens aperture.

The camera is electrically connected to circuitry established at acircuit board that is mounted generally along the windshield behind thecamera, and the camera preferably is electrically connected to thecircuitry via a flexible electrical connector. The flexible electricalconnector flexes to allow a viewing angle of the camera to be adjustedrelative to a mounting angle of the circuit board.

Therefore, the present invention provides an angular light filter thatrejects or substantially rejects or attenuates reflections from thevehicle dash board into the camera. The angular filter replaces thestray light cone or shroud of a typical module or housing, allowinggreater flexibility and lower mounting of the camera at the windshield.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera disposed at a module thatattaches at an interior surface of a vehicle windshield and thatincludes a stray light cone in front of the camera as part of the moduleor housing;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera module of FIG. 1 , shown withthe module mounted at a vehicle windshield with the stray light coneextending forward from the camera and along the windshield; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a camera assembly or system with anangular light filter disposed along the windshield in front of thecamera in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or objectdetection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exteriorof the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display imagesand to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted pathof the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuveringthe vehicle in a forward (or rearward) direction.

Front facing vehicular cameras include optical elements that constitutethe camera. These elements are typically mounted in a vehicular camerahousing, such as a windshield electronics module housing or the like,such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (and such as a housing that utilizesaspects of the vision systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,526,103;7,480,149; 7,188,963; 6,824,281; 6,341,523; 6,250,148; 6,516,664 and/or6,968,736, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties). As can be seen with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , thehousing may extend forward of the camera lens aperture and includes astray light cone or shroud which serves to insulate the camera lensaperture from stray light that arises from reflections off the dashboardand/or windshield. Such housings are typically relatively bulky comparedto the optical elements of the camera and thus the housing may occupy aconsiderable amount of windshield real estate or space. It thus may bedesirable to eliminate the housing, or at least minimize the extent ofthe camera housing, so as to free up space on the windshield. This wouldnot only provide better aesthetics, but also increased visibilitythrough the windshield for the driver of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the present invention proposes to eliminate thestray light cone or shroud and minimize the camera housing so that thehousing only contains the optical elements of the camera and anynecessary interfacing elements. At the very least, the present inventionseeks to eliminate the stray light cone or shroud so that there is aminimum of the camera housing projecting forward of the camera lensaperture. Instead of a stray light cone or shroud, the camera or visionsystem 10 of the present invention includes a camera 12, with an angularfilter 14 placed on or near the windshield 16 forward of the camera 12and the camera lens aperture (and not part of or incorporated in acamera housing of a windshield electronics module or the like). Theangular filter 14 comprises a transparent (or substantially transparentor light transmitting) or see-through film, which limits orsubstantially precludes reflection of light through an angular rangecorresponding to the stray light that would otherwise impinge the cameralens aperture.

The angular filter 14 may comprise any suitable materials. For example,a suitable film material may be found on the likes of computer notebookscreens and other types of display monitors and are commerciallyavailable from the 3M Company and other suppliers. In some embodiments,the filter may be placed directly on the windshield, and in otherembodiments (and such as shown in FIG. 3 ) the filter may be spacedapart from the windshield surface on a plane just below the camera lensaperture, in which case the filter may be mounted on a transparentsubstrate (not shown) or the like. Optionally, the filter may beprovided in the form of anti-reflective coating on the windshield, whichacts to prevent reflections from the windshield.

With the proposed structure, the designer of the camera system or visionsystem is afforded a great deal of design flexibility. In particular,and as can be seen with reference to FIG. 3 , it will be appreciatedthat the printed circuit board 18 and other electronic components may behoused and disposed rearward of the camera optical elements and placedhigher up on or along or near the windshield or even hidden all togetherunder the vehicle roof liner.

Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 3 , a flexible coupling 20 may also beprovided between the small camera 12 and the printed circuit board 18.With such a flexible coupling (which electrically connects circuitry ofthe circuit board with circuitry of the camera to power and/or controlthe camera and to receive image data from the camera), the presentinvention may provide a universal or substantially universal solution tomany vehicles which may all have different windshield rake angles. Forexample, and as can be seen with reference to FIG. 3 , the flexiblecoupling 20 may flex to allow the camera 12 to be arranged generallyhorizontally when the circuit board 18 is mounted along (and generallyparallel to) the windshield 16, such as, for example, along a windshieldthat has a rake angle of about 20 degrees, and the flexible coupling 20may be adjusted or flexed to allow the camera 12 to be arrangedgenerally horizontally when the circuit board 18 is mounted along adifferent windshield 16′, such as, for example, along a windshield thathas a rake angle of about 40 degrees. The flexible electrical connectorthus flexes to allow a viewing angle of the camera to be adjustedrelative to a mounting angle of the circuit board, depending on theparticular vehicle application of the camera system. Thus, a commoncamera assembly or system 10 may be provided that may readily be adaptedor configured for application to vehicles with different windshieldangles (with the flexible coupling or flex connection allowing foradjustment of the angular tilt or relative angles between the camera andlens axis and the circuit board), without requiring additional mountingbracketry and the like to adapt the assembly to the particular vehicle.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor.Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes theimaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processingcircuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a cameramodule, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inU.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/565,713, filed Dec. 1, 2011;and/or Ser. No. 61/563,965, filed Nov. 28, 2011, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

As disclosed in U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/565,713, filedDec. 1, 2011 (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), thevehicle includes a display device operable to display images for viewingby a driver of the vehicle. The camera can provide almost raw image datato the display device and has a control channel for a data line (whichmight be any kind of data line or bus), and wherein a graphics engineruns as a routine at the display device (with, for example, the graphicsengine running as a routine on a head unit of the vehicle). The cameramay be part of an automotive vision system, which uses LVDS as abidirectional control channel and an image data transfer channel andcomprising an automotive vision multi camera architecture, where allcameras are controlled by one control/image data processing device, andwhere an image data processing device sends processed image data to thehead unit or other display device and with the system processing imagedata captured by more than one camera and by other driver assistantsystem sources such as ultrasound sensors, radar sensors, infrared andvisual cameras, lidar or laser sensors. The automotive vision system mayuse LVDS data decoders. A driver assist system and/or vision systemand/or object detection system and/or alert system may operate tocapture images exterior of the vehicle and process the captured imagedata to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted pathof the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuveringthe vehicle. The object detection may utilize detection and analysis ofmoving vectors representative of objects detected in the field of viewof the vehicle camera, in order to determine which detected objects areobjects of interest to the driver of the vehicle. An image data streamfrom the camera to the head unit (or other end device) is realized on adata encoder chip, preferably by a Low Voltage Differential Signal(LVDS) or Ethernet interface, preferably using a mono coaxial cable andLVDS/Ethernet encoder chips (in the camera and in the head unit). Thedata stream can be mono-directional. Optionally, a control line may berealized by a CAN/LIN/other car bus interface or just by a single signalline/wire. Optionally, the control signal may be transferred via thedata encoder chip, preferably by LVDS, so the interfaces and data streamare bi-directional.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or thelike. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image data for imageprocessing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, suchas, for example, an array of a plurality of photosensor elementsarranged in 640 columns and 480 rows (a 640×480 imaging array), with arespective lens focusing images onto respective portions of the array.The photosensor array may comprise a plurality of photosensor elementsarranged in a photosensor array having rows and columns. The logic andcontrol circuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner,such as in the manner described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897;6,498,620; 5,670,935; 5,796,094 and/or 6,396,397, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/615,410, filed Mar. 26, 2012; Ser.No. 61/613,651, filed 2012; Ser. No. 61/607,229, filed Mar. 6, 2012;Ser. No. 61/605,409, filed Mar. 1, 2012; Ser. No. 61/602,878, filed Feb.24, 2012; Ser. No. 61/602,876, filed Feb. 24, 2012; Ser. No. 61/600,205,filed Feb. 17, 2012; Ser. No. 61/588,833, filed Jan. 20, 2012; Ser. No.61/583,381, filed Jan. 5, 2012; Ser. No. 61/579,682, filed Dec. 23,2011; Ser. No. 61/570,017, filed Dec. 13, 2011; Ser. No. 61/568,791,filed Dec. 9, 2011; Ser. No. 61/567,446, filed Dec. 6, 2011; Ser. No.61/559,970, filed Nov. 15, 2011; Ser. No. 61/552,167, filed Oct. 27,2011; Ser. No. 61/540,256, filed Sep. 28, 2011; Ser. No. 61/513,745,filed Aug. 1, 2011; Ser. No. 61/511,738, filed Jul. 26, 2011; and/orSer. No. 61/503,098, filed Jun. 30, 2011, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The system maycommunicate with other communication systems via any suitable means,such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in PCT ApplicationNo. PCT/US10/038477, filed Jun. 14, 2010, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/202,005, filed Aug. 17, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,126,525,and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/567,150, filed Dec. 6,2011; Ser. No. 61/565,713, filed Dec. 1, 2011; and/or Ser. No.61/537,279, filed Sep. 21, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,937,667;7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176;6,313,454 and 6,824,281, and/or International Publication No. WO2010/099416, published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31, 2010, and/or U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/508,840, filed Jul. 24, 2009, and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S.Pat. Publication No. US 2010-0020170; and/or U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 61/511,738, filed Jul. 26, 2011; and/or Ser. No.61/503,098, filed Jun. 30, 2011, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The camera or cameras maycomprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensors or camera modules, andmay utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/091,359, filed Apr. 24, 2008; and/or Ser. No.13/260,400, filed Sep. 26, 2011, and/or U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,965,336 and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The imaging array sensor may comprise any suitable sensor,and may utilize various imaging sensors or imaging array sensors orcameras or the like, such as a CMOS imaging array sensor, a CCD sensoror other sensors or the like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292;6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094;6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397;6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149; 7,038,577; 7,004,606 and/or 7,720,580,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/534,632, filed May 11, 2005,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,965,336; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2008/076022, filed Sep. 11, 2008 and published Mar. 19, 2009 asInternational Publication No. WO 2009/036176, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2008/078700, filed Oct. 3, 2008 and published Apr. 9, 2009 asInternational Publication No. WO 2009/046268, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149 and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176 and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly orrearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978 and/or 7,859,565, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitchingaid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 5,929,786and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/239,980,filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser.No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14,2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a video device forinternal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268 and/or7,370,983, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filedJun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0050018-A1, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, a system fordetermining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle or object, suchas a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,451 and/or7,480,149; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009 andpublished Apr. 22, 2010 as U.S. Publication No. US-2010-0097469, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displayingimages captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating thevehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a videodisplay device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assemblyof the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No.9,264,672, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The video mirror display may comprise any suitable devicesand systems and optionally may utilize aspects of the compass displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341;7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305;5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727;5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or 6,642,851,and/or European patent application, published Oct. 11, 2000 underPublication No. EP 0 1043566, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the video mirrordisplay screen or device may be operable to display images captured by arearward viewing camera of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver ofthe vehicle (such as responsive to the vehicle gear actuator beingplaced in a reverse gear position or the like) to assist the driver inbacking up the vehicle, and optionally may be operable to display thecompass heading or directional heading character or icon when thevehicle is not undertaking a reversing maneuver, such as when thevehicle is being driven in a forward direction along a road (such as byutilizing aspects of the display system described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2011/056295, filed Oct. 14, 2011 and published Apr. 19, 2012 asInternational Publication No. WO 2012/051500, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Optionally, thevision system (utilizing a forward and/or rearward facing camera andother cameras disposed at the vehicle with exterior fields of view)and/or the camera or cameras as part of a vehicle vision systemcomprising or utilizing a plurality of cameras (such as utilizing arearward facing camera and sidewardly facing cameras and a forwardlyfacing camera disposed at the vehicle), may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view of the vehicle or a surround view at thevehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inPCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 and published onSep. 2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO 2010/099416, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31, 2010 and published Mar.10, 2011 as International Publication No. WO 2011/028686, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US11/62834, filed Dec. 1, 2011 and published Jun. 7,2012 as International Publication No. WO 2012-075250, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No.9,264,672, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/615,410,filed Mar. 26, 2012; Ser. No. 61/588,833, filed Jan. 20, 2012; Ser. No.61/570,017, filed Dec. 13, 2011; Ser. No. 61/568,791, filed Dec. 9,2011; Ser. No. 61/559,970, filed Nov. 15, 2011; Ser. No. 61/540,256,filed Sep. 28, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties.

Optionally, the video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925;7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,525, filedApr. 25, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,755; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008; and/or Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thedisplay is viewable through the reflective element when the display isactivated to display information. The display element may be any type ofdisplay element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, alight emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, anelectroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD)element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor(TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to displayvarious information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in amulti-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger sideinflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/orthe like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspectsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on thesubstrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide adesired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a bluecolored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036 and/or 7,274,501, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742 and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

1. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising: acamera module configured for mounting at an in-cabin portion of awindshield of a vehicle; wherein said camera module comprises aforward-viewing camera and a circuit board; wherein, with said cameramodule mounted at the in-cabin portion of the windshield, saidforward-viewing camera views forward of the vehicle and through thewindshield of the vehicle; wherein said forward-viewing camera comprisesa CMOS imaging sensor array and a lens; wherein the CMOS imaging sensorarray comprises a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in aphotosensor array having rows and columns; wherein said lens isaccommodated in a lens barrel having a longitudinal axis; a dataprocessor operable to process image data captured by the CMOS imagingsensor array of said forward-viewing camera for at least (i) a vehicleheadlamp control system of the vehicle, (ii) a lane departure warningsystem of the vehicle, (iii) an object detection system of the vehicleand (iv) a traffic sign recognition system of the vehicle; wherein theCMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewing camera is electricallyconnected to circuitry of said circuit board via a flexible electricalconnection; wherein the CMOS imaging sensor array of saidforward-viewing camera is controlled via the flexible electricalconnection; wherein image data captured by the CMOS imaging sensor arrayis carried via the flexible electrical connection; and wherein, withsaid camera module mounted at the in-cabin portion of the windshield,said circuit board is tilted at an acute angle relative to thelongitudinal axis of said lens barrel of said forward-viewing camera. 2.The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein image data captured bythe CMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewing camera is carriedas a data stream from said camera module via a coaxial cable.
 3. Thevehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein image data captured by theCMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewing camera is carried as adata stream from said camera module via Ethernet.
 4. The vehicularvision system of claim 1, wherein the windshield of the vehicle, asmounted in the vehicle, has a rake angle of at least 20 degrees.
 5. Thevehicular vision system of claim 4, wherein the rake angle of thewindshield of the vehicle is less than 40 degrees.
 6. The vehicularvision system of claim 4, wherein, with said camera module mounted atthe in-cabin portion of the windshield, the longitudinal axis of saidlens barrel of said forward-viewing camera is at or close to horizontal.7. The vehicular vision system of claim 6, wherein, with said cameramodule mounted at the in-cabin portion of the windshield, said circuitboard subtends an angle relative to the in-cabin portion of thewindshield that is less than an angle subtended by the longitudinal axisof said lens barrel of said forward-viewing camera relative to thein-cabin portion of the windshield.
 8. The vehicular vision system ofclaim 6, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the in-cabinportion of the windshield, said circuit board subtends an angle relativeto horizontal that is greater than an angle subtended by thelongitudinal axis of said lens barrel of said forward-viewing camerarelative to horizontal.
 9. The vehicular vision system of claim 1,wherein, with said camera module mounted at the in-cabin portion of thewindshield, at least a portion of said circuit board is disposed at thewindshield rearward of said lens of said forward-viewing camera.
 10. Thevehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein the data processor islocated in the vehicle remote from said camera module.
 11. The vehicularvision system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is equipped with at leastone other camera, and wherein image data captured the at least one othercamera is provided to and is processed by the data processor.
 12. Thevehicular vision system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is equippedwith at least one radar, and wherein data captured the at least oneradar is provided to and is processed by the data processor.
 13. Thevehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said forward-viewing cameraviews forward of the vehicle and through the windshield of the vehiclevia a stray light shroud.
 14. The vehicular vision system of claim 1,wherein said forward-viewing camera views forward of the vehicle andthrough the windshield of the vehicle via an angular filter.
 15. Thevehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein the data processor operableto process image data comprises an image processor.
 16. The vehicularvision system of claim 15, wherein said image processor is disposedwithin said camera module.
 17. The vehicular vision system of claim 16,wherein circuitry of said circuit board comprises said image processor.18. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein processing by thedata processor of image data captured by said forward-viewing cameradetects objects at or near the vehicle and in a predicted path of thevehicle.
 19. The vehicular vision system of claim 18, wherein processingby the data processor of image data captured by said forward-viewingcamera that detects objects at or near the vehicle and in the predictedpath of the vehicle utilizes analysis of moving vectors representativeof objects detected in a field of view of said forward-viewing camera inorder to determine which detected objects are objects of interest to adriver of the vehicle.
 20. The vehicular vision system of claim 1,wherein image data captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of saidforward-viewing camera is encoded by a data encoder chip.
 21. Thevehicular vision system of claim 20, wherein image data captured by theCMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewing camera that is encodedby the data encoder chip is carried as a data stream from said cameramodule via a coaxial cable.
 22. The vehicular vision system of claim 20,wherein image data captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of saidforward-viewing camera that is encoded by the data encoder chip iscarried as a data stream from said camera module utilizing Low VoltageDifferential Signaling (LVDS).
 23. The vehicular vision system of claim22, wherein the data stream is carried via a coaxial cable.
 24. Thevehicular vision system of claim 22, wherein the data stream is carriedvia Ethernet.
 25. The vehicular vision system of claim 20, wherein thedata encoder chip comprises an LVDS encoder chip.
 26. The vehicularvision system of claim 20, wherein the data encoder chip comprises anEthernet encoder chip.
 27. A vehicular vision system, said vehicularvision system comprising: a camera module configured for mounting at anin-cabin portion of a windshield of a vehicle; wherein said cameramodule comprises a forward-viewing camera and a circuit board; wherein,with said camera module mounted at the in-cabin portion of thewindshield, said forward-viewing camera views forward of the vehicle andthrough the windshield of the vehicle; wherein said forward-viewingcamera comprises a CMOS imaging sensor array and a lens; wherein theCMOS imaging sensor array comprises a plurality of photosensor elementsarranged in a photosensor array having rows and columns; wherein saidlens is accommodated in a lens barrel having a longitudinal axis; a dataprocessor operable to process image data captured by the CMOS imagingsensor array of said forward-viewing camera for at least an objectdetection system of the vehicle; wherein processing by the dataprocessor of image data captured by said forward-viewing camera detectsobjects in a predicted path of the vehicle in order to determine whichdetected objects are objects of interest to a driver of the vehicle;wherein the data processor is located in the vehicle remote from saidcamera module; wherein the vehicle is equipped with at least one othercamera, and wherein image data captured the at least one other camera isprovided to and is processed by the data processor; wherein the CMOSimaging sensor array of said forward-viewing camera is electricallyconnected to circuitry of said circuit board via a flexible electricalconnection; wherein image data captured by the CMOS imaging sensor arrayis carried via the flexible electrical connection; and wherein, withsaid camera module mounted at the in-cabin portion of the windshield,said circuit board is tilted at an acute angle relative to thelongitudinal axis of said lens barrel of said forward-viewing camera.28. The vehicular vision system of claim 27, wherein image data capturedby the CMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewing camera iscarried as a data stream from said camera module via a coaxial cable.29. The vehicular vision system of claim 28, wherein the CMOS imagingsensor array of said forward-viewing camera is controlled via theflexible electrical connection.
 30. The vehicular vision system of claim27, wherein image data captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of saidforward-viewing camera is carried as a data stream from said cameramodule via Ethernet.
 31. The vehicular vision system of claim 27,wherein the windshield of the vehicle, as mounted in the vehicle, has arake angle of at least 20 degrees.
 32. The vehicular vision system ofclaim 31, wherein the rake angle of the windshield of the vehicle isless than 40 degrees.
 33. The vehicular vision system of claim 31,wherein, with said camera module mounted at the in-cabin portion of thewindshield, the longitudinal axis of said lens barrel of saidforward-viewing camera is at or close to horizontal.
 34. The vehicularvision system of claim 27, wherein, with said camera module mounted atthe in-cabin portion of the windshield, said circuit board subtends anangle relative to the in-cabin portion of the windshield that is lessthan an angle subtended by the longitudinal axis of said lens barrel ofsaid forward-viewing camera relative to the in-cabin portion of thewindshield.
 35. The vehicular vision system of claim 27, wherein, withsaid camera module mounted at the in-cabin portion of the windshield,said circuit board subtends an angle relative to horizontal that isgreater than an angle subtended by the longitudinal axis of said lensbarrel of said forward-viewing camera relative to horizontal.
 36. Thevehicular vision system of claim 27, wherein, with said camera modulemounted at the in-cabin portion of the windshield, at least a portion ofsaid circuit board is disposed at the windshield rearward of said lensof said forward-viewing camera.
 37. The vehicular vision system of claim27, wherein the vehicle is equipped with at least one radar, and whereindata captured the at least one radar is provided to and is processed bythe data processor.
 38. The vehicular vision system of claim 27, whereinsaid forward-viewing camera views forward of the vehicle and through thewindshield of the vehicle via a stray light shroud.
 39. The vehicularvision system of claim 27, wherein said forward-viewing camera viewsforward of the vehicle and through the windshield of the vehicle via anangular filter.
 40. The vehicular vision system of claim 27, wherein thedata processor operable to process image data comprises an imageprocessor.
 41. The vehicular vision system of claim 40, whereinprocessing by the data processor of image data captured by saidforward-viewing camera that detects objects in the predicted path of thevehicle utilizes analysis of moving vectors representative of objectsdetected in a field of view of said forward-viewing camera in order todetermine which detected objects are objects of interest to a driver ofthe vehicle.
 42. The vehicular vision system of claim 27, wherein imagedata captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewingcamera is encoded by a data encoder chip.
 43. The vehicular visionsystem of claim 42, wherein image data captured by the CMOS imagingsensor array of said forward-viewing camera that is encoded by the dataencoder chip is carried as a data stream from said camera module via acoaxial cable.
 44. The vehicular vision system of claim 42, whereinimage data captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of saidforward-viewing camera that is encoded by the data encoder chip iscarried as a data stream from said camera module utilizing Low VoltageDifferential Signaling (LVDS).
 45. The vehicular vision system of claim44, wherein the data stream is carried via a coaxial cable.
 46. Thevehicular vision system of claim 44, wherein the data stream is carriedvia Ethernet.
 47. The vehicular vision system of claim 42, wherein thedata encoder chip comprises an LVDS encoder chip.
 48. The vehicularvision system of claim 42, wherein the data encoder chip comprises anEthernet encoder chip.
 49. The vehicular vision system of claim 27,wherein the data processor is operable to process image data captured bythe CMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewing camera for atleast (i) a vehicle headlamp control system of the vehicle and (ii) alane departure warning system of the vehicle.
 50. The vehicular visionsystem of claim 49, wherein the data processor is operable to processimage data captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of saidforward-viewing camera for a traffic sign recognition system of thevehicle.
 51. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision systemcomprising: a camera module configured for mounting at an in-cabinportion of a windshield of a vehicle; wherein said camera modulecomprises a forward-viewing camera and a circuit board; wherein, withsaid camera module mounted at the in-cabin portion of the windshield,said forward-viewing camera views forward of the vehicle and through thewindshield of the vehicle; wherein said forward-viewing camera comprisesa CMOS imaging sensor array and a lens; wherein the CMOS imaging sensorarray comprises a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in aphotosensor array having rows and columns; wherein said lens isaccommodated in a lens barrel having a longitudinal axis; a dataprocessor operable to process image data captured by the CMOS imagingsensor array of said forward-viewing camera for at least an objectdetection system of the vehicle; wherein processing by the dataprocessor of image data captured by said forward-viewing camera detectsobjects in a predicted path of the vehicle in order to determine whichdetected objects are objects of interest to a driver of the vehicle;wherein the data processor operable to process image data comprises animage processor disposed on said circuit board within said cameramodule; wherein the CMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewingcamera is electrically connected to circuitry of said circuit board viaa flexible electrical connection; wherein image data captured by theCMOS imaging sensor array is carried via the flexible electricalconnection; and wherein, with said camera module mounted at the in-cabinportion of the windshield, said circuit board is tilted at an acuteangle relative to the longitudinal axis of said lens barrel of saidforward-viewing camera.
 52. The vehicular vision system of claim 51,wherein image data captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of saidforward-viewing camera is carried as a data stream from said cameramodule via a coaxial cable.
 53. The vehicular vision system of claim 52,wherein, with said camera module mounted at the in-cabin portion of thewindshield, at least a portion of said circuit board is disposed at thewindshield rearward of said lens of said forward-viewing camera.
 54. Thevehicular vision system of claim 52, wherein said forward-viewing cameraviews forward of the vehicle and through the windshield of the vehiclevia a stray light shroud.
 55. The vehicular vision system of claim 52,wherein said forward-viewing camera views forward of the vehicle andthrough the windshield of the vehicle via an angular filter.
 56. Thevehicular vision system of claim 51, wherein image data captured by theCMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewing camera is carried as adata stream from said camera module via Ethernet.
 57. The vehicularvision system of claim 51, wherein the windshield of the vehicle, asmounted in the vehicle, has a rake angle of at least 20 degrees.
 58. Thevehicular vision system of claim 57, wherein the rake angle of thewindshield of the vehicle is less than 40 degrees.
 59. The vehicularvision system of claim 57, wherein, with said camera module mounted atthe in-cabin portion of the windshield, the longitudinal axis of saidlens barrel of said forward-viewing camera is at or close to horizontal.60. The vehicular vision system of claim 51, wherein, with said cameramodule mounted at the in-cabin portion of the windshield, said circuitboard subtends an angle relative to the in-cabin portion of thewindshield that is less than an angle subtended by the longitudinal axisof said lens barrel of said forward-viewing camera relative to thein-cabin portion of the windshield.
 61. The vehicular vision system ofclaim 51, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the in-cabinportion of the windshield, said circuit board subtends an angle relativeto horizontal that is greater than an angle subtended by thelongitudinal axis of said lens barrel of said forward-viewing camerarelative to horizontal.
 62. The vehicular vision system of claim 51,wherein processing by the data processor of image data captured by saidforward-viewing camera that detects objects in the predicted path of thevehicle utilizes analysis of moving vectors representative of objectsdetected in a field of view of said forward-viewing camera in order todetermine which detected objects are objects of interest to a driver ofthe vehicle.
 63. The vehicular vision system of claim 51, wherein imagedata captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewingcamera is encoded by a data encoder chip.
 64. The vehicular visionsystem of claim 63, wherein the CMOS imaging sensor array of saidforward-viewing camera is controlled via the flexible electricalconnection.
 65. The vehicular vision system of claim 63, wherein imagedata captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewingcamera that is encoded by the data encoder chip is carried as a datastream from said camera module via a coaxial cable.
 66. The vehicularvision system of claim 63, wherein the data encoder chip comprises anLVDS encoder chip.
 67. The vehicular vision system of claim 63, whereinthe data encoder chip comprises an Ethernet encoder chip.
 68. Thevehicular vision system of claim 63, wherein image data captured by theCMOS imaging sensor array of said forward-viewing camera that is encodedby the data encoder chip is carried as a data stream from said cameramodule utilizing Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS).
 69. Thevehicular vision system of claim 68, wherein the data stream is carriedvia a coaxial cable.
 70. The vehicular vision system of claim 68,wherein the data stream is carried via Ethernet.
 71. The vehicularvision system of claim 51, wherein the data processor is operable toprocess image data captured by the CMOS imaging sensor array of saidforward-viewing camera for at least (i) a vehicle headlamp controlsystem of the vehicle and (ii) a lane departure warning system of thevehicle.
 72. The vehicular vision system of claim 71, wherein the dataprocessor is operable to process image data captured by the CMOS imagingsensor array of said forward-viewing camera for a traffic signrecognition system of the vehicle.